


When The Dark Lights Your Way

by Duender



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pokemon Fusion, Discord: Tomarrymort | Chamber of Secrets, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Harry is a Little Shit, M/M, Pokemon, Sarcasm, Sassy Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:55:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24897286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duender/pseuds/Duender
Summary: Harry Potter is on a journey through the wilderness and the dark, on which he will meet friends and foes-Nah. Harry's on a Pokémon journey. This is a story with fluff, humour, and hopefully a plot.For my favourite Moony!! I really hope you like it :sluglove:
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle, Hermione Granger & Harry Potter & Ron Weasley
Comments: 25
Kudos: 86





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Wiegenlied](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wiegenlied/gifts).



> For the wonderful Moony!! I really really really really hope you like it :blobsweats:
> 
> The Pokémon world is a little confusing, for me at least!! I will be following 
> 
> My wonderful friend [ Rin ](https://www.instagram.com/rin._.hr/) made it for me <3

“This is so exciting, Hedwig!” Harry grinned at his Absol as they walked down a dirt path, heading for the next town. He was going to catch a ferry in two hours, and begin his new adventure! “We’ll finally be able to compete in the Leagues! And catch pokémons!”

Seventeen year old Harry was the happiest he had ever been. His best friends were safe and taking a break from travelling, but he had wanted to start his journey as soon as possible.

“And I turn eighteen tomorrow!” He pumped a fist into the air, a wide smile gracing his face. “No more Dursleys.”

Absol let out a happy yelp. She was just as happy as him, to never have to see those humans ever again. She had had to be physically restrained from harming them, the last time Harry had to walk into that house.

“Draco Malfoy can go fall into a ditch,” Harry added happily, referring to the pompous blond he had come across a few years ago. “So what if eighteen’s too late to become a trainer!”

He kicked a pebble out of his path. “Besides, it’s more fun to just hang out with your pokémon .”

Absol awarded his statement by knocking him to the ground and licking his face clean. Laughing, Harry pushed her off him. 

  
  


___________________________

  
  


“Alto Mare,” Harry answered Hedwig’s questioning glance as she looked skeptically at the island they were nearing.. “It’s an in-between stop. I thought it would be smart to stop here and check in with Ron and Hermione, or I’ll definitely forget.”

The dark feline nodded sagely. Harry would have felt more offended if he hadn’t accepted the truth. 

Harry took in a deep breath, relishing the sea breeze and the spray of salt water.

“Johto is so close!” Hedwig rubbed against him in response. “This is so exciting!” Harry bounced on his feet as they neared the pier.

The ship had barely docked when Harry vaulted over the side of the ship, landing on the wooden boards running. Hedwig bound after him, too used to her master’s antics to really be surprised.

Alto Mare had more waterways then walkways. It was also an extremely interesting place, with a famous museum and a secret garden. Harry would definitely come back to explore them someday. The island was a bustling city.

Fortunately, Harry could see the Pokémon centre right across the nearest canal, 

The duo hurried into the building, waving a hello to Nurse Poppy (he wasn’t sure if she was a cousin or sister of the one he was used to, but he liked all the Nurses, so it didn’t really matter) and heading straight towards the phones. Harry set his backpack down, his fingers already ringing up a number he had known by heart for years now.

“Harry!” a female voice cried out, one he would never grow annoyed of hearing.

The raven’s face lit up in a huge smile as he saw who had answered the phone.

“Molly!”

“Hello, dear. You made it alright?” the Weasley matriarch asked with an equally bright smile.

“Almost, I decided to stop in Alto Mare and check in. You know me, I will probably forget to call for days once I begin catching and training pokémons,” Harry said bashfully.

Molly laughed. “You were extremely invested in training when they weren’t even your pokémon, I have no doubt you are going to be even worse with your own.”

Before either of them could say anything else, two heads popped up on either side of the screen.

“Blimey, if it isn’t-”

“Ittle bittle Harrykins!”

“Fred, George!” Harry grinned when he saw the twins. 

Fred made a shushing motion. “Don’t tell Ronnie, but we have something for you.”

Harry raised a sceptical eyebrow. The twins’ gifts could range from some of the most amazing to some of the most ridiculous things.

“Okay…?”

“We bought you a gift! We’ll transport it over in a second,” George said enthusiastically. “One masterball-” Fred cut in. “For our only-” 

“Favourite-” 

“Little brother!”

Harry would deny the tears that pricked his eyes till the day he died. 

  
  


___________________________

  
  


“One more call, and then our journey begins!” Harry ran a hand through Hedwig’s fur. He didn’t understand how people thought Absols to be bad luck, when they literally forewarned you and helped avert potential disaster.

Hedwig seemed to sense his thoughts, and gave him a big lick before nudging his face back towards the screen.

_Ring. Ring. Ring._

_“The person you have called is currently unav-”_

“Harry!” His redhead best friend’s face suddenly appeared on the screen, freckled face stretched in a wide smile.

Hermione appeared less than a second later. “Harry!”

Harry felt warm all over, seeing the faces of the two people he could trust and depend on anytime, anyday. 

“Ron, Hermione! I reached Alto Mare!” he exclaimed.

“You haven’t forgotten anything, have you?” Hermione asked, ever the mother hen.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that? Ron helped you pack, after all.”

“Oi!”

Ron’s indignance melted away and soon they were all chuckling.

Harry sighed as their laughter faded away. “Travelling without you two is going to be so weird.”

Hermione smiled sadly. “We would have loved to travel with you Harry-”

Harry knew what was coming. The guilt, the sadness, the feeling that they were abandoning him; “I am perfectly happy travelling by myself, don’t worry! And you guys have contests to participate in, ribbons to win! Sinnoh won’t know what hit it!”

Ron chuckled. “While you take on Johto by storm, mate!”

“Did you map out the gyms and check their type specialities, Harry?” Hermione asked with a narrowed gaze. She had a feeling, and the feeling was confirmed when she noticed the sheepish look the raven was sporting.

“Harry!”

“I’m not going to even think about badges for the next four or five months, Mione! I just want to travel and train pokémon.”

Hermione sighed. She couldn’t berate Harry, not for this. Harry didn’t care much about the glory of badges and winning Leagues; he was obsessed with meeting, training, and spending time with pokémons. He cared about the ones who cared about him, and she wouldn’t blame him one bit.

The number of pokémons a pokémon trainer could carry had been increased to eight just when the three of them had turned eleven, fortunately, even though official battles still allowed a maximum of only six.

However, intensive training was still quite hard, and mostly done by experienced trainers who had caught several pokémons and were practicing for Leagues.

Harry, however, had never been the type to chase after every pokémon he saw, and it wasn’t just the fact that he didn’t have pokeballs to catch them with. He genuinely respected their choice of wanting to accompany him, and that was how Hermione and Ron knew every pokémon that stayed with Harry would love him and ensure his well-being. And with the limitless amount of pokeballs they could now carry…

“Alright, _fine._ But stay safe, alright? And check in at least once a week. For Arceus’ sake, you better not forget to charge your Pokegear, Harry James Potter!”

“I won’t, I won’t!” Harry held up his hands. Pokegear, an invention that came out just in time. He was expected to use it and call them as often as he could; he didn’t use it if there was a Pokecentre nearby, of course, but they were a dead useful invention for people like him who liked to wander in the wilderness.

There was a moment of silence, before Harry heard Hermione’s mom in the distance, calling for the pair.

“Love you, mate,” Ron said solemnly, Hermione echoing his words.

Harry’s throat closed up, but he put on his brightest smile. “Love you guys too.”

“Pathos, Egos, Logos,” the pair said in unison, which would have been creepy if Harry didn’t join them in it.

“Pathos, Egos, Logos.”

It was always the three of them together. Even if it was just the three of them against the world.

  
  


___________________________

  
  


Hedwig tried her very best to keep her human intact and away from harm, she really did. But even an Absol like her, with her fine tuned senses (her ears were definitely as sharp as a Zubat’s, thank you very much) and razor sharp senses, couldn’t save her extremely disaster prone human from his own stupidity.

She winced as he crashed into the tall stranger; she had had no time to nudge him out of the way. Honestly, why did he insist on running everywhere? It still took them the same amount of time to reach their destination. Besides, they didn’t even _have_ a destination.

Harry fixed his crooked glasses and looked down apologetically at the man he had just knocked down.

“I’m so sorr-”

“Watch where you’re going,” the man growled out as he got up, ignoring the hand Harry held out. “You are quite a menace to society,” he finally said, looking up from brushing his clothes.

“I-I was trying to apologize!”

Harry scowled as he took in the stranger in front of him. He was extremely handsome, he had no trouble admitting, but he was _rude._ It wasn’t like he had knocked him down on purpose!

“I’m sorry,” he repeated.

The man’s eyes swept up and down his body, causing him to flush, embarrassed and angry. A jerk and a pervert, he was getting on Harry’s nerves.

“You should watch where you’re going next time, darling. You’re going to bruise your pretty face, running into a Steelix.”

Harry’s jaw dropped. Did he just try to-

“Excuse me?!”

“You heard me,” the red-eyed stranger enunciated, straightening the sleeves of his button-down. 

_Who the hell wore shirts nowadays?_

“Who do you think you are?” Harry glared at him. By his side, Hedwig growled, causing the man to glance at her, his eyes widening a tiny fraction.

 _That’s right, be afraid!_ Harry crowed in his mind, darkening his glare, completely unaware of the fact that he looked like a disgruntled baby eevee.

The man raised an eyebrow, lips twitching upwards. He seemed sort of surprised at Harry’s words, for some reason, but Harry had no intention to psychoanalyze his every move.

“Unimportant, but I do hope you don’t plan on running into more people today.”

Harry opened his mouth, no doubt trying to come up with a scathing reply, but Hedwig nudged him quickly, pushing him away.

“Your Absol seems extremely smart,” the man commented as he glanced at Hedwig, his eyes bright in a way Harry had seen only in a few people. People who truly loved Pokémons.

_So maybe he isn’t that much of a bas-_

“You could definitely learn something from her,” he finished with a smirk.

_I take that back._

“You are a complete and utter jerk!”

The man laughed, voice deep and rich. Harry growled. He seriously wanted to punch him in his perfect teeth.

Hedwig, sensing his murderous intentions, nudged him harder, causing him to stumble away from the still chuckling man.

He straightened and walked away, not looking back even once.

Okay, that was a lie.

  
  
  


The man was a jerk, but also kind of really hot.

  
  
  


___________________________

  
  


Harry could see Johto’s mainland. He leaned against the side of the bateau, letting his fingertips skim the sparkling blue water. 

He was so close.

As the boat neared the dock, Harry slipped on his backpack and ran a hand through Hedwig’s fur, trying to rouse the sleepy Absol. She twitched, before raising her head and licking him. He smiled, trying to ignore the two other passengers who seemed extremely wary of the feline.

_So unlike that man._

Harry’s brain was not co-operating. He scowled and shook his head, trying to get rid of unwanted thoughts as he stood up from his seat and got onto the pier. He thanked the ferryman and paid him his fee, before pivoting on his heels.

Taking in a deep breath, he stood tall, feeling much more confident when Absol stood by him, her fur brushing against his arm. They were in Goldenrod city, but he had no intention of staying there for much longer. There were forests and caves waiting for him.

“Johto, hope you’re ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "If I met that man in Alto Mare, does it mean he's from Johto?"  
> Hedwig gave Harry an unimpressed stare.  
> "Not that I care, I'm just curious!"  
> The stare turned into a deadpanned look.  
> "You're right, you're right. I don't care about him or who he is, not at all. He's a jerk and I'm glad I won't ever meet him again."  
> A few moments later...  
> "But his cheekbones-"


	2. Chapter 2

“Okay, so I might not have checked out all the gyms and stuff, but I did go over a map of Johto!”

Hedwig made a disbelieving noise as she stopped in her tracks to stare at Harry.

“Absol?” she asked, tilting her head to one side.

“Okay, I should feel more offended,” Harry commented. “But I’ve accepted the truth. Yes, I made a rough route, so that we would be able to cover as many forests and caves as we could! We’ll start with Ilex forest, and go around the region, and we’ll visit the Safari Zone last. After that, we can think about badges and the League,” the green-eyed man shrugged. 

Harry wasn’t really concerned about participating in the League - most trainers did it for fame and money. He didn’t like fame, and he didn’t need to worry about money anymore.

“So, we’ll head south to Ilex forest,” he continued, pulling out his Pokegear and opening the map once more. “Hermione should be so proud of me. But yes, Ilex forest, then we’ll go North-west. Sound good?”

“Absol, absol!” Hedwig didn’t really care for where they went, as long as she was with Harry. She sincerely hoped her mother would never learn of these thoughts, it was unbecoming of an Absol to be so  _ cheesy. _

And so they walked, Absol and trainer, as the sun shone brighter above them.

  
  


___________________________

  
  


The sun was slowly beginning its journey downward when they reached the outskirts of the forest. Harry felt a smile grow on his face as he spotted the line of dense trees that marked the beginning of Ilex.

“We have about an hour before the sun goes down. Think we could find a nice clearing in time?”

Hedwig nodded resolutely. They were quite good at it.

“You’re right. Let’s keep to the west, we’ll be able to find a nice stream leading to the bay that way.”

Entering the forest felt like coming home. Harry took in a deep breath, nostalgia hitting him as he caught a whiff of moist earth and tall pines and thick ferns - it had rained very recently. It grew a little darker upon his entry into the canvas of trees, but the last rays of sunlight filtered through emerald green, forming bright patches on the ground. Wet leaves scrunched under his thick boots, Absol’s paws noiselessly loitering after him.

They walked in silence, human and pokemon, letting their ears take in the sounds of the forest. The constant buzzing of bugs and gentle chirpings of the avian pokemons washed over them, and was the only thing heard other than their own footsteps.

Hedwig paused mid-step, raising her head. Harry glanced at her.

“What’s the matter, girl?”

“Absol,” she jerked her head towards the right.

“You can hear water?” Harry confirmed. At her nod, he gestured for her to lead the way, which she did without hesitation, trotting off in a different direction, and Harry hurried after her.

A minute of walking later, they appeared in a small clearing, next to a small creek.

“...perfect!”

Hedwig walked to the edge of the creek and lapped up some water, before letting out a happy yelp. 

Harry was already setting down his backpack.

“The water looks very inviting,” he admitted, eyeing Hedwig as she jumped in. The Absol nodded her agreement. “The sun’s about to go down very soon, though. Let me set up the tent and start the fire, then I’ll join you.” 

Hedwig had already stopped listening, and crossed the stream and wandered away. Harry wasn’t very worried; his Absol was quite powerful, and would be perfectly alright.

He got around to setting up his tent, finding a low branch to throw the canvas over and nailing down the sides with stakes, with an ease that came from years of practice. Setting his backpack in, he retrieved a kettle and a spoon, before scrounging around for stones and dried foliage and twigs. 

He had just set a kettle of water on top of his merrily crackling fire when Hedwig returned. She had a few branches held in her mouth. Closer inspection revealed them to berries; dinner was arranged for.

“Thanks, girl. What do you want tonight - sweet or spicy?”

Hedwig thought for a moment before nudging the Tamato berries. 

“Spicy it is!” Harry had always been the best cook in his little group - the only one who could outcook him was Molly, and that was only on a good day. It was an honour to be able to cook as well as the Weasley matriarch. The clearing was soon filled with a delicious aroma, and Harry took a quick sip of the soup he had made. It was perfect.

The raven turned around to retrieve two bowls, when he heard a rustle. Absol growled.

He whipped around to spot a brown blur vanish into the undergrowth. He relaxed - it wasn’t a hostile pokemon that was going to attack.

“Hello,” he called softly. “Would you like some food too?”

Black eyes peeked out, the fire reflected in them. Harry sucked in a sharp breath as one long ear appeared, then another. It was an Eevee. It wasn’t a baby, but it was quite small. 

Harry spooned some of his soup into a bowl and set it down, nudging it towards the small pokemon. 

The Eevee was understandably quite hesitant, but a few reassuring words from Absol convinced it and it eagerly began lapping up Harry’s cooking. The trainer glanced at his Absol, who flicked her mane towards the left. A male Eevee, then.

The small pokemon was understandably sceptical of them, but Harry just had an effect on pokemon that made them feel safe. Hermione called it his charm, Harry simply thought of it as kindness.

His first night was spent talking to his newest friend. By the next morning, he had gained a new companion.

  
  


___________________________

  
  


“Okay, left or right?”

Hedwig gave Harry a deadpan look and walked straight ahead.

“That wasn’t even one of the options, you brat-”

Harry paused in his tracks, just in time to stop himself from colliding into his Absol. He cocked his head to one side.

“Do you hear that?”

Hedwig nodded. Another loud thud sounded. The two of them peeked out from behind a tree; Eevee was asleep inside a pokeball. In the middle of a cluster of trees, was a green bug pokemon Harry identified immediately.

“Scyther, scy-scyther!” And he seemed quite angry, if the broken and cut down trees around him seemed to be any indication. “Scyther!” A green pincer attacked yet another tree in a vicious Fury Slash - the tall tree fell in one swoop.

“What’s gotten him so furious?” Harry hissed at Hedwig, trying to stay quiet and not draw attention. The Absol shook her head, as clueless as he was, before suddenly moving.

Harry could barely process what was happening as Absol leaped up and landed in front of him, letting out a pained grunt. Her hurt snapped him to his senses - she had just taken a hit for him. Fortunately, it had only been a normal slash.

“Hedwig - Scyther’s a bug type!” His pokemon obviously did not appreciate his sentiments as she rolled her dark eyes at him before facing forward, baring her teeth at the Scyther. Who, Harry noted apprehensively, looked battle ready.

He took in a deep, grounding breath. Hedwig had been with him for years; they had trained together, and he knew just how powerful she was. Enough to take down a wild pokemon even with a type disadvantage.

“Alright, a battle he wants, a battle he’ll get! Absol, slash.” Harry took off his glasses - he didn’t need them for a battle, and his eyesight had slowly been getting better, with the newest treatment which consisted of him getting healed by a Chansey’s Heal Pulse. Pokemon powers really knew no bounds.

Absol charged forward, paws readying for a slash. She was fast, but the Scyther was faster.

“Hedwig, watch your left!” Hedwig jumped in time to avoid getting hit by a razor sharp pincer. She growled.

“Okay, we need to take him down ASAP.” Harry began mumbling to himself. The battlefield was his forte. 

“Future Sight, follow it up with a psycho cut!”

“Absol, absol,” Hedwig’s eyes began glowing. Scyther began moving his pincers, and Harry recognized what he was readying himself for. He worriedly looked at Hedwig - he couldn’t break her concentration but a hit from this move would hurt her badly.

Fortunately, her eyes lost the psychic glow a second later - “Hedwig, move! You can’t let the X-Scissors hit you.”

The powerful blast hit the tree behind her - Harry’s eyes widened as the tree collapsed. 

“Oh Dialga, he’s powerful!” Hedwig yelped at him. Harry met her eyes. The Absol’s dark, intelligent eyes stared into his. Harry took in a deep breath. This wasn’t his first battle, even with a disadvantage. Maybe he was freaking out because Hermione and Ron weren’t nearby, but Hedwig was. They knew each other in and out, like they were one entity. He opened his eyes, and Hedwig crooned at the fire she saw in them.

Harry Potter wasn’t a legend among those who knew him for no reason.

Hedwig leaped up to avoid another powerful Fury Cutter. The Scyther was nearing, pincers a blur as he threw out attacks as fast as pokemonly possible.

“Jump to the left, he’s left himself open! Quick attack!” Scyther processed the words moments after Absol did, but before he could defend himself, Hedwig made her move.

“Scy-” he flew backwards, nearly hitting one of the trees that remained standing. He was dazed, and Harry took advantage of the moment.

“Flamethrower, put in all your power!” Harry was extremely grateful he had decided to teach her this move through ™. Expensive, but so worth it.

The Absol fired, red-hot flames engulfing the bug pokemon before it could react. The stream of fire was too wide for the Scyther to think about escaping, and he let out a pained grunt as he was hit.

“Okay, end it! Charge with Quick attack, now!” Hedwig nodded, cutting off her flamethrower, but before she could charge, a force hit the dazed and crisped up bug.

The Future Sight hit bullseye, and the Scyther collapsed.

Harry hurried towards it. Despite the aggression, he couldn’t ever leave a pokemon in pain. Not now, not ever.

He fished out a Healing spray from a side pocket of his backpack as he neared the mantis pokemon.

The Scyther let out a runt as he tried to raise himself up.

“I won’t hurt you.” Harry held up the potion. “I just want to heal you.”

The Scyther seemed to recognize the bottle, because he stopped his attempts at getting away.

Harry squatted down beside him, Hedwig keeping watch over them as he generously applied the potion to the pokemon’s burns. As he was spraying the last of the burns he could reach, he spotted a long, deep cut.

“H-how did you get this?” Harry reached a trembling finger towards the wound, which looked several days old, but the flinch from the injured pokemon told him enough. The cut was too straight, too clean to have been obtained from a pokemon battle.

“Your trainer did this to you?” he asked softly. Scyther looked conflicted, but slowly nodded after Absol let out a reassuring croon.

Harry took in a sharp breath. He hated trainers who hurt their own pokemon. They were the vilest creatures to exist.

Scyther let out a soft “Scy” and he realized he had been gritting his teeth. 

“I’m sorry. I just really despise those sort of people,” he explained, making sure to keep his voice soft and reassuring as he sprayed a generous amount of the healing potion on to green skin.

“Scy.” Scyther didn’t look very reassured by his words, but he couldn’t be blamed.

After patching up the pokemon to the best of his abilities, Harry straightened up.

“I’m very sorry that you had to endure such a horrible experience, Scyther. I hope you’ll be happier here in the forest.”

“Scyther?”

“Absol, ab-absol.”

The look of utter bewilderment confused Harry but Hedwig stepped in and spoke to the green pokemon, and whatever she said made him relax. He nodded.

“Goodbye, Scyther!” Harry waved as he began walking away.

“Scyther!” he waved back. Hedwig bound up to him, licking him once before hurrying to join her trainer.

  
  


___________________________

  
  


“I really, really despise people who treat pokemons like tools and dispose of them like they don’t matter,” Harry scowled. His hands were in tight fists, nails nearly breaking skin. Absol nudged one palm, hoping to get him to loosen his grip, but to no avail.

“And hurting your own pokemon, what sort of sick bastard does that?!”

Hearing a slight rustle behind them, he whipped his head around, but nothing seem out of place. Tree trunks, shrubs, green pokemon-

Green pokemon?

“Scyther? What are you doing here?”

“Scyther, scyther,” the pokemon gestured to him with a pincer, trying to convey his message. Harry glanced at Hedwig for translation.

Realization hit him when his Absol brushed a nose against his belt, where his pokeballs were attached.

“You want to come with me?” he asked, shocked. At Scyther’s nod, he plucked off a pokeball from his belt and enlarged it, then hesitated.

“Are you sure? I’m a trainer. Nothing like your old trainer, I promise, but still a trainer.”

The only response he got was Scyther’s purposeful stride forward. A pincer was raised, the area lit up in red, and then he was gone.

Harry blinked at the pokeball in his hand.

“Did he just-”

Hedwig sauntered forward. Nothing could really surprise her, not when her trainer was one Harry Potter.

  
  



	3. Chapter 3

Harry let out a sharp breath. “Holy Arceus, you are a powerhouse, Scyther.”

The green bug pokémon preened under his praise. The rock he had used slash on now lay in two halves on the forest floor. 

Eevee let out a yelp as he bounded up to the bug, rubbing himself against one leg. Scyther glanced down, an indecipherable expression in his eyes, before hesitantly letting his pincer brush against one of Eevee’s ears.

Harry smiled softly at the sight, before going back to his Pokétech. The small device fit snugly in his palm, and was the most useful thing he owned. He switched to the Pokédex function, and began scrolling through all of Scyther’s moves.

Something in the back of his head told him he was forgetting something, but he brushed away the thought.

“Hmm. Have you mastered Fury Cutter, Scyther?” he asked after a few minutes. “That’s a powerful move, and with your hits being so strong -” he glanced back at the demolished rock - “it’s going to be a KO move against a lot of opponents.”

Scyther shook his head, before waving a pincer, taking care not to hit Eevee.

“Scyther, scy-scyther.”

“You know the move but haven’t practiced it?” Harry guessed. The green bug blinked at him, astounded at his ability to understand pokémon, but nodded.

“Well, this is the perfect place for you to do so!”

It was. The little group had travelled further into the Ilex forest, and set up camp beside a beautiful lake.

“Scy?” Scyther looked around questioningly.

“Practice it in the air,” Harry instructed. “There’s plenty of space. Once you’ve got that down, try it on the water.”

Scyther blinked at the unorthodox instruction, but nodded, and set to work.

Satisfied that Scyther would be fine by himself, Harry turned to Eevee.

“Your Baby-doll eyes are ruthless,” he said with a chuckle, squatting down to pet the small mammal. “Hmm, how about Bite? It will be nice to have a Dark move in your repertoire too, and you can learn a new move along with Scyther before we move on to increasing your stats.”

Hedwig, who had curled up under the shade of a tree, sprung up and hurried forward to warn the newbies. Her trainer might love pokémon, but he was positively ruthless when it came to training. He never pushed them far enough to hurt them, but Absol could still remember how many laps she would run around the lake near the redheads’ house and how many times she would have to practice the same moves until she could do them in her sleep.

She paused midstep. Those training sessions were the reason she had become as powerful as she was. Besides, she was thrown head first into the experience that was Harry Potter, why shouldn’t these new ones?

Harry glanced back at his Absol with a raised eyebrow; she had stood up with an urgency but paused and then gone back to sleep.

He shook his head. His pokémon were as weird as he was.

  
  


___________________________

  
  


“Come on, team, you’ve got one more lap!”

“Scy!”

“Eeveeeee!”

Hedwig glanced back to see the two of them stumbling with every step. She let out a bark. They needed to become stronger, how else would they help protect Harry?!

Eevee stumbled again, but Scyther quickly used a pincer to make sure he remained standing, huffing and panting as he continued to move.

Harry quickly got into step beside his newest pokémons. “You’re doing really well, you both are really powerful,” he said sincerely, not as out of breath as he had only joined them half way through the session.

Scyther grunted. Eevee yelped.

Three more yards. Two more. One more-

“You guys did it!”

Harry did a happy dance under his pokémons’ tired glares. “You guys did amazing,” he continued to gush, coming over with pepper-up potions.

Scyther was staring at his trainer again, with an unreadable expression. Eevee stumbled over on shaky legs to get the first gulp of the potion.

Harry, after ensuring that all of them were okay, turned serious.

“Did I push you too hard?”

Noticing the questioning glances being sent his way, he said, “I want you to grow stronger, but at your own pace. I want to push you for you to get better, not for you to break.”

Hedwig nimbly stepped out of the way before she could be crushed under the two pokémons like her trainer. She let out a soft smile (her mother wasn’t here to see). There was a reason Harry was loved by every pokémon they met.

  
  


___________________________

  
  


After assuring himself that his team was alright, Harry decided that they should explore the forest. 

“There’s a legend of a shrine in the middle of Ilex, where rare pokémon frequent. I’d like to meet some, I think,” he mused to Scyther, who bobbed his head to show that he was listening. His feline pokémon had decided to spend their time sleeping and let Scyther accompany their wayward trainer.

“Since we need to reach the centre of the Forest, that will be slightly east of us, I think we’ve gone south enough,” Harry mumbled to himself. Scyther simply followed without a word, not minding the fact that they had just walked in a circle. 

“This is impossible,” Harry let out a groan after a few minutes.

Scyther poked his shoulder, and when he had the green-eyed trainer’s attention, he pointed a pincer further into the trees.

  
  


“You knew the way and didn't tell me?!” Harry screeched.

Scyther kept his face impassive, but a tiny flinch still made its way through his barriers. Harry calmed himself down.

“I’m sorry, Scyther, I’m not mad at you,” he said. “It was quite a funny prank,” he admitted, letting himself grin, and Scyther relaxed minutely. 

Harry mentally berated himself, before gently putting a hand on his bug pokémon’s shoulder. “I promise, I’m not mad at you. And even if I were ever angry, I would never, ever, take it out on any of you. I swear.”

Scyther raised his head to meet earnest green eyes, and somehow found himself believing this tiny human.

Harry smiled. “Alright, let’s get going then!”

And they were off again.

  
  


___________________________

  
  


Harry shone his torch into the dense woods around him - while the place was quite dark during the day, it was practically impossible to see anything during the night.

“Are you sure this is the right direction?”

Scyther let out an affirmative noise.

“Well then, we keep going. There should be a Pokémon Centre somewhere around too, but I don’t think we’ll make it there tonight.”

“Scyther.”

Harry turned around to face his pokémon, and noticed him pointing at something.

“What is-”

The pokémon centre was just visible through the dense trees, the light from the building providing a little visibility.

“...well then.”

  
  


___________________________

  
  


“Hello, Nurse Poppy,” he greeted the woman behind the counter.

“Hello young man,” she replied with a warm smile. “Did you perchance get lost?”

“Oh no, I came to explore the forest, it’s truly beautiful. But we,” Harry gestured to himself and Scyther, “decided to spend our second night with a roof above our heads.”

Nurse Poppy nodded understandingly. “A single room, then. And will you be keeping your pokémon here?”

The raven glanced over. Scyther shook his head. “Just the room, thanks.”

“The pokémon centres are similar all across the regions,” Harry commented as he dropped his backpack and rummaged for his toiletry. 

“Scy?”

He glanced up. “Oh, right! I’m originally from Hoenn, but then I travelled to Unova with my best friend Ron, where we met my other best friend Hermione.”

“Scyther, scy?”

“They’re currently in Sinnoh, they’re both co-ordinators, and bloody brilliant at it.”

Scyther seemed a little uncomfortable by his nostalgia, so Harry shook himself out of his stupor. 

“You’ll get to meet them! They travel through Sinnoh, I travel through Johto, and we are going to travel through Kanto together. Pokéball or bed?”

The bug pokémon seemed to judge the pokémon bed with distaste before reaching for his pokéball. Laughing, Harry returned him before letting Hedwig out.

“Hey girl, we’re in a Pokémon Centre for the night.”

Hedwig glared at him for waking her up before strutting over to the pillows and curling up to go back to sleep.

After finishing with his night routine, Harry slipped into the nearby bed. He didn’t say anything when he felt warm fur press against his side, simply turned over and pressed his face into the soft coat, falling asleep to the familiar scent of home and adventure.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harry might have taken a shower, but he had forgotten to bathe his pokémon.
> 
> He wakes up to muddy paw prints on his face and clothes.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Tumblr!](https://duender-writes.tumblr.com/)


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